Urban Space as a Primary Source: Local History and Historical Thinking in New York City

Marino, Michael P.

Social Studies, v103 n3 p107-116 2012

This article discusses how local history can be used by teachers to help develop historical thinking skills such as source analysis, the collection of data, and the creation of historical arguments. Using New York City as a case study, this article argues that urban spaces and local communities provide historical evidence that can be read and analyzed. It uses different streets, buildings, and neighborhoods from New York City to show how historical conclusions can be drawn from those resources. It also discusses instructional ideas that teachers can develop in their classrooms. (Contains 5 notes and 15 figures.)